Info For Yous Kobina Sekyi: Nationalist Lawyer, Hardcore Pan-Africanist, Concluding President Of Aborigines Correct Protection Gild (Arps) Together With The Solely Educated Elite Inwards Colonial Africa Vowed Never To Habiliment European Stuff Together With Was The Showtime To Seem Inwards Courtroom Inwards Traditional African Cloth

William Esuman-Gwira Sekyi, amend known as Kobena Sekyi (1 Nov 1892, Cape Coast – 1956) was a nationalist lawyer, politician, author  a celebrated Pan-Africanist inwards the Gold Coast (now Ghana). As a firebrand nationalist he became the president of the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS), an aboriginal scheme that fought too won their battle against the British obnoxious Land Bill of 1897 that seek to give Queen Elizabeth of England all the unoccupied lands inwards Gold Coast (Ghana) too also entire British West Africa inwards general.
Kobena Sekyi was also executive fellow member of the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA), too fellow member of the Coussey Committee for constitutional alter that finally pave means for the independence of Ghana.

Kobena Sekyi, nationalist lawyer, politician, writer.  a celebrated Pan-Africanist, in conclusion president of the Aborigines Right Protection Society (ARPS) inwards the Gold Coast (now Ghana) too the alone educated elite inwards Africa who vowed never to have on European vesture again, too became the initiative of all lawyer inwards the British colony to look inwards courtroom inwards a traditional African cloth. He never have on coat too European wearing apparel until he died inwards 1956.

As a soul born into the Gold Coast coastal aristocratic Fante identify unit of measurement too a highly educated fellow member of his society, he was brought upward to believe that European civilisation was superior to African culture. But it did non choose long for Sekyi to commit grade suicide too transmogrify into an unshakable apostle of African values, traditions too culture. Sekyi did non alone became an unrepentant hardcore Pan-Africanist inwards his days, but, inwards fact, he  lived too practiced African civilisation too traditions to the rattling core; so much that 'he vowed never to have on European vesture again, too became the initiative of all lawyer inwards the colony to look inwards courtroom inwards a traditional African cloth. He never have on coat too European wearing apparel until he died inwards 1956.
Though an ethnic Fante human being himself, Kobena Sekyi criticized the means his Fante coastal towns take keep became anglicised to such an extent that fifty-fifty straight off a Fante cannot talk a judgement without less than 4 English linguistic communication words. They anglicised their local names into English linguistic communication such that yous tin can hear Koomson, Blankson, Menson, Filson etc. Some take keep all unusual names without a local name.  To demonstrate his utter abhorrence too disdain for this anglicization of Fante names too outright adoption of unusual names, Kobena Sekyi as a affair of regulation too leading past times illustration removed "William" from his names too became only "Kobena Sekyi."
Kobena Sekyi was born inwards Nov 1,1892 into  Cape Coast (Oguaa) aristocratic family. His virile soul parent was Mr  John Gladstone Sackey (note, Sackey is the anglicization of Fante nurture "Sekyi" to adjust European tongue), headmaster of the renowned Wesleyan School (Mfantsipim) inwards Cape Coast. Mfantsipim is the initiative of all secondary schoolhouse inwards Republic of Ghana too was established inwards 1876. Mr John Gladstone Sackey himself was a royal too a the boy of Chief Kofi Sekyi, the Chief Regent of Cape Coast.
Kobena Sekyi`s woman parent was Wilhelmina Pietersen, also known as Amba Paaba, fille of Willem Essuman Pietersen (c.1844-1914), an Elmina-Cape Coast human being of affairs too one-time President of the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS), a afterwards president of which was Sekyi's uncle, Henry van Hien, whose heir Sekyi was.
Like his father, Sekyi was also educated at Mfantsipim School and and went on to study philosophy at the University of London. He was accompanied to UK of Britain too Northern Republic of Ireland past times his maternal grandfather. Sekyi was originally to study English linguistic communication Literature, however, a swain educatee (Nigerian) persuaded him to surrender English linguistic communication Literature inwards favour of Philosophy.

Lawyer Kobena Sekyi inwards his African cloth

After completing his philosophy degree, Sekyi  returned to Gold Coast to learn for sometime too participated inwards the political affairs. Realizing that Gold coast has many lawyers too liberal fine art scholars, Sekyi went dorsum to England inwards 1915 amongst conception to go an engineer similar his mother's younger brother, J.B. Essuman-Gwira, but because his identify unit of measurement controlled the handbag strings too they wished him to study law, so that was the career he entered. He was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple inwards 1918 too also awarded MA inwards philosophy. Sekyi became a lawyer inwards private exercise inwards the Gold Coast.

Lawyer Kobena Sekyi (L) inwards his Western wearing apparel earlier he became Pan-Africanist who never have on European stuff until his decease inwards 1956 amongst his grandad Willem Essuman Pietersen (ca. 1844 – 6 Jan 1914) also known as Willem Edmund Pietersen, was a Gold Coast merchant, politician, too educationist. He is also remembered as a goldsmith too scout repairer. Pietersen was co-founder of Mfantsipim School inwards Cape Coast too a one-time president of Aborigines Right Protection Society (ARPS).

It should live emphasized that Kobena Sekyi had life changing sense whilst traveling on a shipping to England. It is said that "On the voyage out his boat, the SS Falaba, was torpedoed past times a German linguistic communication U-boat too some lives were lost. Sekyi managed to acquire to a lifeboat, at which bespeak a European shouted at him that he should exit of the boat, as a dark human being had no correct to live live when whites were drowning. It was this incident that had a profound effect on him, confirming his rejection of European pretensions to superiority.  

Robert Ross inwards his bulk "Clothing: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Global History' published inwards 2008 citing authors White too White, "Slave Clothing" page 156 averred that "Equally, inwards the Gold Coast, Kobena Sekyi, a coastal lawyer, is said, inwards the identify unit of measurement tradition, to take keep been subjected to racist racist insults when wearing a adjust piece existence trained inwards London during World War I. In consequence, he vowed never to have on European vesture again, too became the initiative of all lawyer inwards the colony to look inwards courtroom inwards a cloth."

Whilst practicing constabulary inwards Gold Coast Sekyi married Lilly Anna Cleanand, fille of John Peter Cleanand too Elizabeth Vroom.

SS Falaba, a British shipping which was torpedoed past times German linguistic communication U28.in 1915. Of the 145 passengers too 95 crew, 104 lives were lost. One was the American mining engineer Leon Thraser, who was returning to the Gold Coast (today: Ghana). Lawyer  Kobena Sekyi was i of the lucky people who survived.

Sekyi was afterwards elected as a president of the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society, succeeding his uncle Henry van Hien. The Gold Coast Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS) was an association critical of colonial rule, formed inwards 1897 inwards the Gold Coast, as Republic of Ghana was known. Originally formed past times traditional leaders too the educated elite to protestation the Crown Lands Bill of 1896 too the Lands Bill of 1897 that threatened traditional reason tenure, the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society became the main political organisation that led organised too sustained opposition against the Colonial Government, laying the foundation for political activeness that would ultimately atomic number 82 to Ghanaian independence. J. W. Sey, J. P. Brown, J. E. Casely Hayford too John Mensah Sarbah were co-founders. 

ARPS prominent success was its victory against the obnoxious Land Bill of 1897 that seek to give Queen Elizabeth of England all the unoccupied lands inwards Gold Coast (Ghana) too also entire British West Africa inwards general. ARPS sent delegation to British parliament using celebrated Ghanaian (Gold Coast) lawyers too some of their Nigerian too Sierra Leonean lawyer friends to scrap their instance that inwards Africa when a reason is unoccupied it does non hateful the reason has no possessor "all yous demand to produce is to go into an unoccupied land" or start develop it too the existent possessor volition demonstrate up. They won their instance inwards the British parliament too 1897 reason Bill was thrown into oblivion thereby saving entire West Africa from their lands from existence appropriated similar what the British did inwards East too Southern Africa.

Kobena Sekyi ably led ARPS as a song mouthpiece of the Gold Coast people against British imperialism until the scheme started declining inwards the mid-1930s too dying out finally. That saw Kobena Sekyi as the in conclusion president of ARPS. The ARPS colapsed because in the initiative of all place, it never gained rigid roots beyond Cape Coast inwards the Central Province. For example, the gild never developed inwards the adjoining Eastern Province. The gild also remained elitist, too its decisions were made past times a few individuals at the helm of the organization. Above all, the Cape Coast elite, inwards spite of the rapid economical transformation too social alter as good as the vigorous consolidation of colonial rule, had called for radicalization of African protests too could non disengage from the old reformist protests of the nineteenth century. Thus, past times the 1930s the ARPS, having lost pop support, existed as a ghost of its old self. Indeed, inwards the 1920s it had been taken over past times the as elitist but broader-based too to a greater extent than radical NCBWA, which sought to convey nearly key alter inwards colonial rule.

Sekyi also became an executive fellow member of the National Congress of British West Africa after the demise of ARPS too contributed towards radical opposition to the British colonial regime. The cofounders of NCBWA included Thomas Hutton-Mills, Sr., the initiative of all President, too J. E. Casely Hayford, the initiative of all Vice-President. Other co-founders too early on officials included Edward Francis Small, F. V. Nanka-Bruce, A. B. Quartey-Papafio, Henry van Hien, A. Sawyerr too Kobina Sekyi.

With the interest of Sekyi, The Congress agitated for the institution of a West African Court of Appeal, where judges would live nominated Africans. As a resultant of their demands, when 

In his regard as an shrewd politico too celebrated Gold Coast lawyer, Kobena Sekyi was appointed as a  member of the Coussey Committee for constitutional change. It must live stressed hither that inwards 1948, a principal of Osu Alata inwards Accra Mantse Nii Kwabena Bonnie III led a a grouping of Gold Coast workers, ordinary citizens, politicians too demobilized Gold Coast soldiers to boycott all unusual goods too also a peaceful march to the Christianborg Castle to acquaint a petition to the Governor nearly the plight of veterans. The veterans were shot at the Osu Christianborg crossroads resulting inwards 3 casualties; Sergeant Cornelius Frederick Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe too Private Odartey Lamptey.  The riots that ensured led to the taking into custody, inwards remote parts of northern Gold Coast, half dozen of the nationalist leaders of the UGCC, namely,  Ako Adjei, Edward Akufo-Addo, Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah, Emmanuel Odarkwei Obetsebi-Lamptey, William Ofori-Atta too Kwame Nkrumah too the setting upward of a Commission of Enquiry nether the chairmanship of Sir Aitkin Watson.  The detained nationalists take keep since too so come upward to live known as the “Big Six”. The Watson Commission of Inquiry reported that the Burns constitution of 1946, which had granted Africans a bulk inwards the legislative council, was “outmoded at birth.” The  outcome of Watson’s Commission was an all-African commission nether a eminent Gold Coast jurist too a president of West African Appeals Court Sir James Henley Coussey which was laid upward inwards Dec 1949 to pull upward a novel Constitution for the country.  The  recommendations of the Coussey Constitutional Committee formed the reason of the 1951 Constitution, which marked a giant stair forrad towards independence. It was this of import Committee that lawyer Kobena Sekyi was an integral role of. It was so unfortunate that Sekyi did non live to come across Ghana`s independence inwards 1957. He died inwards 1956.

In his capacity as i of the early on Gold Coast writers, Kobena Sekyi famously authored a hard-hitting comedy "The Blinkards" (1915) which satirized the credence past times a colonized gild of the attitudes of the colonizers. His novel The Anglo-Fante was the initiative of all English-language novel written inwards the Cape Coast.

As a political theorist too playwright Kobena Sekyi predicted inwards the early on role of the century that what was needed most for Gold Coast Africans to live on the modern public was non dwell on the dichotomy betwixt European too African cultures, betwixt the "civilized" too the "savage," but a pragmatic drama too concerts that creates infinite for critical evaluation too selective appropriation. He was of the see that the twenty-four hours when Africans were told they take keep to larn to talk English, swallow amongst fork too knife, have on covered shoes too Western clothing, value nuclear identify unit of measurement over the extended matrilineage, get married i spouse, halt paying homage to ancestors, too attend Christian churches must non portrayed to inwards plays too concert as the alone means Africans tin can fully partake inwards the economical advantages of "progress." Unfortunately, inwards today`s drama public both Nollywood too Ghallywood inwards Nigeria too Republic of Ghana respectively are silent portraying what Kobina Sekyi admonished Africans to avoid, instead of concentrating on creating infinite to demonstrate the rich African civilisation to the world.

A REVIEW OF KOBENA SEKYI`S "BLINKARDS" BY NANA FREDUA AGYEMAN
The Blinkards past times Kobina Sekyi
Title: The Blinkards, Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Comedy too The Anglo-Fanti - Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Short Story
Author: Kobina Sekyi
Genre: Play/Short Story
Pages: 256
Publishers: Heinemann/Readwide
ISBN: 978-0-435-92784-4
Year of Publication: 1974 (this edition, 1997)
Country: Gold Coast (Now Ghana)

Setting: This bulk contains 2 stories: The Blinkards - a play too The Anglo-Fanti - a curt story. Though the stories are from 2 dissimilar genres, i theme thread through them: the effect of absolute cultural osmosis or amend silent the consequences of swallowing an alien civilisation without much scrutiny, as happened inwards occupied countries popularly referred to past times the occupiers as colonies (colonies of what? Ants? Bees?) Both stories took identify inwards Cape Coast too the setting is rattling pregnant to the story. Apart from the author existence a Fanti too hailing from Cape Coast, Cape Coast was the initiative of all bespeak of introduction to colonial rule. As a seaport city, it was the initiative of all town that was initiative of all brought nether colonial rule; therefore in that location are numerous Castles too Forts scattered inwards Cape Coast too surrounding towns similar Elimina too Anomabo. However, the inhabitants of this corking city, which was the initiative of all upper-case missive of the alphabet of Republic of Ghana earlier it was moved to Accra inwards 1877, became anglicised to such an extent that fifty-fifty straight off a Fanti cannot talk a judgement without less than 4 English linguistic communication words. They anglicised their local names into English linguistic communication such that yous tin can hear Koomson, Blankson, Menson etc. Some take keep all unusual names without a local name. Yes, it is that serious. And it is this that Kobina Sekyi, who was also known as William Essuman-Gwira Sekyi was speaking against. Here, it would serve a skilful exercise if i realises that the play was initiative of all performed somewhere some 1915 whereas The Anglo Fanti curt storey was initiative of all published inwards the West Africa journal inwards 1918.
To empathize why Kobina Sekyi, who himself was from the elite who were eagerly morphing into caricatures of hybrids, turned some to criticize the condition quo, which inwards the get-go of the nineteenth century marked the borderline betwixt civilisation too bushmen upward to today, i needs to read nearly his biography above.

The Blinkards
The Blinkards is a satirical play written inwards English linguistic communication too interspersed amongst Fanti (all the Fantis take keep been translated on the left manus side of the page or the even-numbered pages). It tells of the consequences of blindly mimicking the European culture.
Mrs. Borɔfosεm (someone who exhibits also much European tendencies inwards his/her actions) eats alone European foods, though nosotros know that at several points inwards fourth dimension she yearns for locally prepared nutrient such as roasted plantain. She goes everywhere inwards a frock, boots amongst an umbrella too a lorgnette. Though she speaks bad English, she does so amongst a forced English linguistic communication accent. As a married adult woman to Mr. Borɔfosεm, she forces him to deport as an Europeanised man: smoking cigar, eschewing local foods too dresses.
Mr. Tsiba (a cocoa farmer) brought her fille to Mrs. Borɔfosεm to develop so that her fille would go only similar her too this Mrs. Borɔfosεm did amongst eagerness, instilling inwards her 'proper' English linguistic communication mannerism. Later, Miss Tsiba met a immature man, who to attract her attending as an Europeanised man, had also gone to go amongst Mr. Onyimdze - a lawyer who avoided anything European except those that are germane to the execution of his profession such as the wearing of dark gowns too white curled wigs.
As the play goes on nosotros notice that the 2 (the immature human being Okadu too Miss Tsiba) finally met at a garden political party thrown past times Mrs. Borɔfosεm too in that location too and so got engaged inwards means of i they had read from an English linguistic communication novel (without the presence of whatsoever identify unit of measurement member). Mrs Borɔfosεm told Mr Tsiba that her fille was nearly to get married too that he, Mr. Tsiba, had to purchase the clothes for the impending wedding. He got furious but calmed downwards when he was told that it was the ways of the Europeans for the bridegroom's virile soul parent to purchase the clothes for the bride too bridegroom. When Na Sompa (wife to Mr. Tsiba) heard the intelligence she got furious too insulted Okadu. It was inwards the middle of i of such vituperations that she got a heart-attack too died. Nana Katawerwa, hearing that her fille (Na Sompa) was dead too her granddaughter was marrying without next tradition stormed the chapel too disrupted the whole program.
Nana Katawerwa refused to permit Miss Tsiba into her 'husband's' house. Later Miss Tsiba was to get married some other human being through the traditional mode. This infuriated Okadu, who got grandmother too granddaughter arrested. The instance went to courtroom too Nana Katawerwa too her fille won nether the exposition of the Native Law.
The storey is deep too borders on several aspects of our lives. It is a compassion that the province of affairs silent pertains today. People cannot talk their local linguistic communication properly too yet would produce everything to demonstrate that they tin can talk English linguistic communication including faking the voice. It is easier to come across people inwards 3 slice suits walking nether the scorching sun. Still the borderline betwixt enlightenment too colloquialism is measured past times how much i has adopted Christian too European values. But in that location is hope: gradually people are changing, people are finding their roots... it is a tedious procedure straight off but it would go out. It is the linguistic communication that is becoming a problem. There is a old presidential candidate who changed his nurture from Joseph Houston-Yorke (yes he is a Fanti) to his local name.

The Anglo-Fanti Short Story
Like The Blinkards, this storey concerns blind assimilation of European culture. It's nearly a man child who was brought upward to go an aficionado of European mannerisms, piece shunning African culture. Following this path too learning rattling difficult he got a scholarship to London where he studied Law. Whilst in that location he realised that London was non all that they tell it is. There are classes too divisions too the people they imitated are on the lower scale of their social ladder. He also recognises, that no affair what he did he was described as a savage peculiarly when people began call for whether he wore clothes or non (and they produce straight off enquire Naipaul!).
"It does non choose him long to notice out that he is regarded as a savage, fifty-fifty past times the starving unemployable who asks him for alms. Amusing questions are frequently set to him as to whether he wore clothes earlier he came to England; whether it was rubber for white men to go to his province since the climate was unsuitable to civilised people; whether wildlife wandered at large inwards the streets of his native town." (page 230)
However, in that location were many Africans who also came to a similar disillusionment when they saw England amongst their ain eyes; yet these grouping began to choose these disconcerting matters as incidental to civilisation.
"... but if his friends, fifty-fifty those who had been similarly disillusioned, take keep begun to choose sure enough disconcerting matters as incidental to civilisaiton, too instead of argument from the unpleasantness of such incidents to the inherent unwholesomeness of that to which they are incidental, they conclude somewhat perversely that whoever cannot explicate cannot explicate away such unpleasantness is non civilised. " (page 231)
Time came for Kwesi Onyidzin (Kwesi without a name) - known as Edward Cudjoe -  to come upward to Gold Coast too to Cape Coast. His identify unit of measurement were all expecting him to deport similar an European man. So when he laid downwards to go too began wearing native dresses too swallow native foods they became disappointed inwards him. Some fifty-fifty considered him mad. Others made it their duty to demonstrate him the way. After he was virtually thrust into marriage, it became his wife's pursuit to forcefulness her hubby to deport similar an European. Later, she resorted to the cooking of European foods too throwing of garden parties. Working harder too always harder to avoid these incidents, Kwesi Onyidzin broke down.
The number of cultural invasion is i that has taken the public past times tempest peculiarly inwards these days of globalisation. Should in that location live a universal the world culture? too who would create upward one's take heed what should live inwards such a culture? or each province should continue its culture? Are other cultures at a threat from European culture? These are questions nosotros demand to ask. Culture is something yous are born into. It grows amongst you. Yet people who were born exterior of it similar VS Naipaul too other aliens who pass a twenty-four hours or 2 inwards ones country, alone to label their civilisation as backward, are either insane or mentally distabilised. To me such behaviours too thoughts are infantile too limited zero salve folly. Ignorance is no sin yet ignorance expressed inwards hate or bad linguistic communication is stupidity.
This storey is purely narrative amongst no dialogue inwards it. If yous dear a narrative novel I recommend this to you. If yous are a staunch believer of the communalism rather than individualism, I recommend it to you. If yous believe inwards selective cultural absorption, incising sure enough unproductive parts of civilisation too replacing it amongst tested ones non only dumping the whole into the society, I recommend this to you.
source:https://haftshappenings.blogspot.com/search?q=

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